Putting your trust in strangers

Trust (noun) firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of
someone or something; (verb) to believe that someone is good and honest and will not harm you, or that something is safe and reliable.

Does it ever cross your mind when you are ordering lunch that it
may not be made with the freshest ingredients, or that the strictest hygiene
may not be observed behind the kitchen doors? I suppose it depends where you
buy your lunch, but generally you don’t question these things unless you see a
warning sign… is that a cockroach scurrying around to its next hiding place?!

We put trust in people in both our personal and work lives –
sometimes without realising that we are doing it.

Individually we may rate them well, but collectively and of
concern, the least trusted professionals work in Car Sales, Advertising, Real
Estate, Insurance and Politics.

It may come as no surprise that the following professions were the
most trusted in a 2017 Roy Morgan survey: Nurses, Doctors,
Pharmacists, Dentists, School Teachers and Engineers. We put trust in these
professions because our health, education and city’s infrastructure depend upon
them, and all are very important to us.

Why should we be concerned? Well, think about what these
professions represent – some of the biggest purchases you make – a house, car,
insurance, home/personal loans, and our democracy and general amenity. It’s
unfortunate that the reputations of some professionals have been tainted by
others in their industries, and typically it’s been tough for those who are
reputable to change public perception. The big banks and aged care operators
will have some tough PR challenges to overcome well after the Royal Commissions
are done.

And where do recruiters sit on the continuum of most to least
trusted?

Recruitment is an industry which has no technical barriers to
entry. After 12 years in recruitment, working across New Zealand, Japan and
Australia, I’ve seen a broad array of styles, commitment to service, due
diligence and adherence to process within our industry.

As employees or employers, career moves and hiring new team
members are big decisions. You’ll need information about the job market,
someone to help you design a robust recruitment process, guide you through the
legal requirements, make an independent assessment of your shortlisted
candidates, or job offers, and assist with final negotiations and onboarding
once you have made, or have been made an offer. HR Business Partners and
Recruitment Consultants (whether internal or external) are those trusted
advisors.

It’s in our nature to trust each other, but you usually only get
one shot at it. At Slade Group we are experienced consultants who have either
been working in recruitment for a number of years or we have gained consulting
experience from the industries we recruit in, often both. Every day we ask
clients and candidates to trust us, and we don’t take that trust lightly. No
matter what it is in life, don’t let one person ruin your experience or the
reputation of that profession, brand or service.